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Thinking of visiting Alaska
early in the Season?
Here are some things to know
before you go.
1)
Wildlife
is abundant in the early
season!
Two important factors
help us see more
critters in May: A) new
arrivals in the way of
cubs, calves and
kids and B)
the low snowline.
Moose, Bears, Goats,
Sheep and even Whales
give birth in the
mid-spring. That
coupled with animals
being concentrated in
the lowlands while the
mountains defrost have
always led to my most
memorable wildlife
sightings in the
spring. It's a
photographer's dream!
2)
Natural Vistas
are amazing.
Mountain snow,
while non-disruptive to
guests, allows for
amazing topographical
contrast with tormented
evening shadows.
Mountains are more
stunning with snow and
May is the best month to
experience this while
still dressing
comfortably without need
of parka or mukluks.
3)
The
daylight will nearly
be as long as it gets.
Summer solstice this
year is on June 21.
As one incrementally
moves away from that
date daylight decreases
proportionately. This
means that Alaska enjoys
as much daylight in May
as they do in July give
or take a few minutes.
The mid-night sun is not
a one day occurrence.
Travel early in the
season for great values
and abundant daylight
for explorations and
photography.
The amount of daylight
Alaska depends upon
where you are and when
you travel. Here are the
number of average
daylight hours in
Alaska/Canada major
cities and locations
during the Alaska cruise
season:
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May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
|
Anchorage |
18 hrs |
19 hrs |
18 hrs |
16 hrs |
13 hrs |
|
Fairbanks |
20 hrs |
21 hrs |
20 hrs |
16 hrs |
14 hrs |
|
Denali Park |
18 hrs |
20 hrs |
19 hrs |
16 hrs |
13 hrs |
|
Juneau |
17 hrs |
18 hrs |
17 hrs |
16 hrs |
11 hrs |
|
Ketchikan |
17 hrs |
18 hrs |
17 hrs |
16 hrs |
11 hrs |
|
Vancouver |
14 hrs |
15 hrs |
16 hrs |
15 hrs |
13 hrs |
4) Speaking of
daylight... it is only
useful when it's not
raining. On
average, May is
one of the 2 driest,
sunniest months of the
year no matter what part
of the Great Land you
visit.
Compared with September,
Anchorage only receives
a third as much
precipitation in the
spring. As a general
rule, this is true in
every port city and
interior village we
traverse. Sunglasses
and sunscreen are a must
this time of year. Be
prepared!
5) Finally,
Alaskans and Yukoners
are most upbeat,
personable and
hospitable in May.
While it is true that
some of the staff are
still learning their
rolls at the local gift
shops, Alaskans cherish
the spring like no other
people we know. Their
months of Seasonal
Affective Disorder have
passed, the roof made it
through another winter
and summer sports boost
endorphins statewide.
Talk to the locals in
May and you'll be amazed
at the tales they have
of a harsh winter life
just past.
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A nugget of
private railroad
history in Alaska
There’s lots of
history and many
companies
spotlighting the
beauty of rail
travel in Alaska
today. It all
started with the
completion of the
Alaska Railroad back
in 1923. Then Tour
Alaska introduced
luxury sightseeing
in Alaska via rail
in the 1980’s
followed by Holland
America, Princess
Tours, and most
recently by Royal
Caribbean and
Celebrity Tours.
When you look at the
consist of the
Alaska Railroad
today, you will see
a long line of fully
domed passenger
observation cars
that offer dining,
expert narration,
knowledgeable
railcar staff
members and over
300-miles of one
magnificent sight
after another.
Did you
know? The
Alaska Railroad
track is laid along
a National Scenic
Byway that stretches
from Seward on
Resurrection Bay all
the way to Fairbanks
just 200 miles south
of the Arctic
Circle. It crosses
the Continental
Divide, spans
300-foot deep
Hurricane Gulch,
hugs the Million
Dollar Curve and
passes through more
than 500 miles of
glacier-carved
mountains and
river-cut valleys
penetrating deep
into Alaska’s vast
Interior.
Taking Home a Piece
of Native Culture
Native art and
culture flourishes
in Alaska due to the
large population of
Native Alaskans.
Pacific Northwest
Indian tribes are
the Tlingit, Haida
and Tsimshian.
Athabascans live in
the Interior.
Coastal waterways of
southwestern Alaska
are home to Yup’ik
Eskimo and the
Inupiat Eskimo
reside above the
Arctic Circle. The
Unangan Aleut live
in the Aleutian
Islands.
Visitors looking for
the perfect souvenir
will find crafts
using local
materials like gold
nuggets, precious
stones and porcupine
quills. Carvings --
of animals, spirits,
masks and
traditional
activities -- are
typically of wood,
antler or aquatic
ivory (walrus or
narwhal). Clothing
can be made from a
wide variety of
pelts, skins and
furs.
Insider’s
Tip:
The Made in Alaska
symbol indicates
that a resident
artist, craftsperson
or manufacturer made
the article in
Alaska. The Silver
Hand emblem
guarantees that the
article was hand
crafted by an
Alaskan Native.
Wherever possible,
these items have
been made with
Alaskan materials.
Gold Fever in the
Yukon — the Rush is
On!
The country was
reeling from a
depression. Then
steamships carrying
tons of gold from
the Klondike arrived
on the west coast.
Within days, over
100,000 men and
women dropped
everything to join
the stampede. The
first 26 miles of
the Chilkoot Trail
from Dyea, one of
seven routes to the
Yukon, became the
most notorious strip
of up-and-down real
estate in the world.
It was a super-human
effort to transport
a ton of goods up
that narrow,
slippery, rocky
trail — 200 pounds
at a time. And the
struggling travelers
still had
treacherous rapids
to face on the Yukon
River before
reaching the
goldfields near
Dawson City.
Ironically, by the
time many arrived
the rush was over.
Insider’s Tip:
There’s still time
to book a
sensational Alaska
tour this season —
so don’t miss out on
a rollicking good
time in Dawson City,
the golden heart of
the Klondike. You
can kick upyour
heels at Diamond
Tooth Gertie’s, an
authentic
turn-of-the-century
saloon and dance
hall on the National
Register of Historic
Sites. And it’s just
one of many restored
buildings in this
living museum of the
Gold Rush.
The wild, untamed
Klondike is on
display in the
rough-and-tumble
towns of Dawson
City, Eagle,
Whitehorse and Tok
and wildlife and
wilderness is
boundless in
legendary Denali
National Park.
Appealing extras
like the McKinley
Explorer luxury rail
cars, a Yukon River
cruise, the historic
Gold Dredge No. 8
and the famed White
Pass & Yukon Route
Railway make the
Alaska a fabulous
choice.
Summer Celebration
Warm, seemingly
endless days, maybe
an afternoon shower,
are par for the
Alaska summer.
Visitors can see up
to 21 hours of
daylight, and enjoy
temperatures of up
near 90°F during
July and August.
Here are a few other
signs that summer
has arrived in the
North.
Flower Power
Wildflowers are in
full bloom. From
tiny blue
forget-me-nots, the
state flower, to
towering purple
fireweed and
everything in
between — chocolate
lilies, monkshood,
columbine, wild
geranium, lupine,
dogwood, shooting
stars, iris,
violets, chiming
bells, Jacob's
ladder, bog
rosemary, larkspur
and bluebells.
Watchable Wildlife
The humpback whales
are returning from
wintering in Hawaii.
Canadian geese are
coming back to raise
their young and the
feisty, screeching
magpies are
protecting their
nests. Bears are
fully active and
feeding off the
numerous salmon runs
to bulk up before
the winter. Moose
and caribou have
their calves in tow
and are frequently
sighted at this time
of year.
Southeast Alaska
Native Culture and
Crafts – Made in
Alaska!
Much of Alaska’s
population is
composed of distinct
indigenous cultural
groups. In Southeast
Alaska, Tlingit,
Haida and Tsimshian
cultures take center
stage providing
visitors with
numerous
opportunities to
interact with the
Native Alaskans best
known for totem
poles, hand-hewn
cedar lodge houses,
canoes and intricate
beadwork and
basketry. With their
striking designs and
colors, totem poles
are bold statements
of the identities
and stories of the
people who carved
them. A totem pole
generally served one
of four purposes.
-
Crest poles
give the
ancestry of a
particular
family.
-
History
poles
record the
history of a
clan.
-
Legend poles
illustrate
folklore or real
life
experiences.
-
Memorial poles
commemorate a
particular
individual.
Alaskan visitors may
encounter totem
poles throughout
Southeast Alaska,
but the most famous
collections are
displayed in
Ketchikan at Saxman
Village and Totem
Bight and in Sitka
National Historical
Park.
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Shopping Tip:
Be sure to
look for the
“Made in
Alaska”
logo, which
indicates an
item
genuinely
produced in
Alaska. The
Silver Hand
logo
identifies
the item as
a Native
Alaskan
handicraft.
Great
choices
include gold
nugget
jewelry and
items carved
from jade.
Woven
baskets of
beach grass,
bark or
baleen and
seal-oil
candles,
beaded
mittens, fur
mukluks and
hand-carved
masks are
just a few
native
offerings. |
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Alaska Q & A
When is the best time to
cruise to Alaska?
Anytime between May and
September is a good time to
visit Alaska, but the
warmest and longest days
will be in June and July.
Do I need a passport to
go to Alaska?
If a part of your cruise
includes a stop ( or departs
or returns from ) either
Vancouver or Victoria,
Canada, you will be required
to provide proper proof of
US citizenship before you
are allowed to board the
ship. For US and Canadian
Citizens, this has to be a
passport. Please note that
it is the passenger's
responsibility to provide
acceptable proof of
citizenship. You will not
get a refund if you are
denied boarding due to the
lack of proper
documentation.
How long are Alaska
Cruises?
Most Alaska cruises are 7
days. Choose an Alaska
Inside Passage Cruise that
sail roundtrip from Seattle
or Vancouver; or a 7 Night
Alaska Glacier Cruise
sailing south from Anchorage
( Seward or Whittier ports )
or North from Vancouver. You
can add a land tour to the
beginning or end of the
cruise. Cruisetours explore
cities like Anchorage and
Fairbanks, and Denali and
other National Parks,
allowing you to visit such
places as Mt. McKinley.
Cruise tours can range from
three to 16 days in addition
to your 7-day cruise
vacation.
What is an Alaska
Cruisetour?
An Alaska Cruise Tour
combines an Alaska cruise
with an Alaska land tour.
These cruisetours give you
an opportunity experience
both the coast and interior
of Alaska. On a cruisetour
you can visit Mt. McKinley
and Denali National Park.
You may travel by deluxe
motor coach and/or specially
built sightseeeing trains,
stay at deluxe lodges and
view wildlife in its natural
habitat. You can join in
adventurous and culturally
focused shore excursions.
Should I bring the kids?
Alaska is an unforgettable
family vacation destination
full of adventure and
educational opportunities.
Most cruise lines these days
cater to families with
children of all ages
including toddlers, youth,
and teenagers. They have
kids programs, special
facilities, kids menus and
planned activities.
Some cabins can accommodate
three, four or as many as
five passengers in one
cabin. Children can cruise
at reduced rates when they
share a cabin with their
parents, making it very
affordable for the whole
family to visit Alaska.
Should I get a stateroom
with a balcony?
If you're sailing along the
Inside Passage or viewing
College Fjord, you will have
views of the mountains, the
wilderness, huge glaciers,
and shoreside communities.
You may even spot a whale or
two.
On an Alaska cruise, the
ship's decks are packed with
hundreds of guests crowding
the ship's rail to take a
picture. You can enjoy the
same view from your balcony,
while having a hot drink -
without the crowds. And with
a balcony, you have floor to
ceiling magnificent views of
Alaska.
When should I book my
Alaska cruise or Cruisetour?
Cruise ships sailing to
Alaska book up quickly
especially for sailings in
July and August. Early
booking discounts may be on
offer so we recommend
booking as early as
possible. Balcony cabins are
very popular and tend to
sell out first. Families
wanting cabins close
together ( adjoining or
connecting cabins ) or
"quad" cabins sleep 4)
should also book early.
What's the best way to
reserve my Alaska vacation?
Planning an Alaska Cruise
Vacation could get very
complicated. Planning your
vacation of a life time is
not like booking an airline
ticket, hotel, rental car.
There's a lot more to it and
given the size of your
travel investment we
recommend you take advantage
of the services of a
professional Alaska Cruise
Advisor to help guide you
through the process.
With over 380 Alaska Cruise
and Cruise Tour options to
choose from making the right
choice can make all the
difference in the world.
Ask yourself these
questions.....
When do you want to go?
...and for how many days?
What kind of Alaska Cruise
Vacation do you want? A 7
day cruise or an extended
stay Alaska Cruise Tour?
What do you want to see?
What kind of activities do
you enjoy?
Viewing Glaciers, Wildlife
Wilderness Tours, Hiking
Mountains, learning the
local History or participate
in an active Adventure?
Are you taking kids? How old
are they? What's there to do
for them?
The number of questions
about Alaska could number
several pages. What's your
question. Just ask us,
800.365.1445
What about Airfare?
You may purchase airfare on
your own, or you can get it
from the cruise line as part
of your cruise package.
vacation.
Unlike buying an airline
ticket on your own, when you
book your airfare with the
cruise line you do not have
to pay for your ticket at
the time of booking (
placing a deposit ) , you
pay for it only at the time
of final payment. If you
have to cancel your cruise
before cruise line
cancellation penalties are
imposed, you may not be
stuck with the cost of
airline tickets. Flight
schedules, including
connections, are assigned at
the descreation of the
cruise line and neither us
nor the cruise line make
seat assignments.
Can I extend my Alaska
Cruise or Cruisetour?
If your ship arrives or
leaves from Vancouver,
consider spending a few days
either before or after the
cruise to enjoy some of the
local sights. Most cruise
lines offer pre- and
post-cruise hotel programs
that give you the
opportunity to experience
some of the local flavor.
Should I purchase travel
insurance?
We highly recommend
purchasing trip cancellation
coverage. In the event that
your cruise or cruisetour is
cancelled due to a medical
emergency, you may, subject
to a valid claim, recover
the non-refundable portion
of your cruise costs.
What can I see on an
Alaska cruise?
An Alaska Cruise or
Cruisetour gives you the
opportunity to see wildlife,
and explore Wilderness,
Mountains and Glaciers,
Alaska's natural beauty,
plus a chance to learn about
native American culture and
the history of the Gold
Rush.
On most Cruises and
Cruisetours you may see -
moose, caribou, dall sheep,
bears, birds, seals,
humpback and killer whales,
and eagles. To see Mt.
McKinley, North America's
largest mountain, you'll
need to take a cruisetour
that includes Denali
National Park. You may also
experience rafting trips,
salmon bakes, horse backing
riding, fishing tours and
nature hikes that show you
some of the most beautiful
and pristine lands in
America.
Depending on your cruise you
will see one or more of
these: Glacier Bay, Hubbard
Glacier, Sawyer Glacier in
Tracy Arm Fjord, Mendenhall
Glacier, or the glaciers of
College Fjord.
Will I get to see Mt.
McKinley?
Mt. McKinley, North
America's largest mountain
at 20,360 feet is located in
Denali National Park, in the
interior region of Alaska
between Anchorage and
Fairbanks. Tours in Denali
National Park are only
available to Alaska
Cruisetour guests. Mt.
McKinley is so large it
creates its own weather, so
the conditions are
unpredictable and full view
of Mt. McKinley is never
guaranteed. But when the sky
is clear, North America's
highest peak is in its full
glory. Truly something to
see, photograph and talk
about!
When's the best time to
see whales?
If you visit Alaska between
June and early September,
you may see Humpback,
Whales, Orcas, Pacific
White-Sided Dolphins, and
Porpoises. Between June and
July, you have your best
chance of seeing the
Humpbacks. Consider a whale
watching tour in search of
whale pods.
Which side of the ship is
best for viewing glaciers?
Where possible, book a cabin
on the right side of the
ship (starboard side) for
scenery on a Northbound
cruise and the left side
(port side) on a Southbound
cruise. However, if you have
cabin on the "other" side,
don't worry, there is
scenery on both sides of the
ship and when you are
entering the fjords to view
the glaciers of Alaska, the
viewing is likely to be good
from either side of the
ship.
What about fishing?
You can book a full- or
half-day fishing trip in
most of the Alaska ports of
call. Fish for King Salmon,
Pink & Silver Salmon,
Sockeye, Halibut, Rainbow
Trout, Char, or Steelhead.
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Canadian Prices Available